Platte Beach
Honor, Michigan · on Lake Michigan · Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $25
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Platte Beach
Platte Beach, officially Platte River Point, is the spot in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore where the Platte River empties into Lake Michigan near Honor, Michigan. A National Park Service-designated swim beach and the traditional endpoint for river tubing, canoeing, and kayaking trips down the Platte, it works both as a lazy-river swimming hole and as one of the best places to swim in the national lakeshore.
The site sits at the confluence of the Platte River and Lake Michigan (Platte Bay), with a sandy-gravel shoreline that becomes increasingly sandy heading north; sandbars migrate onshore in summer, widening the beach. The surrounding landscape is part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, with open dune country visible along the shoreline (per NPS and Islands.com).
Swimming at Platte Beach
Swimming happens in two connected settings: the shallow, fast-flowing river channel right at its mouth, where NPS notes "kids love swimming and floating in the current and wave action that occurs where the waters merge," and the open Lake Michigan beach itself, which is part of the Lakeshore's swim-anywhere shoreline. On breezy days, wave action builds where the river current meets the lake. Grkids.com describes the upstream river float as a gentle, clear, sandy-bottomed current suited to families with kids and dogs.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located on Lake Michigan Road (County Road 708) in Honor, MI, within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore; two NPS parking lots sit on either side of the road at the river/lake confluence (per NPS and M-22 Byway).
Parking: Two parking lots on either side of Lake Michigan Road. The south lot has accessible parking, restrooms, dressing rooms, grills, and an automated entrance-fee station; it fills during busy summer periods. Lake Township Park (Benzie County) nearby offers additional parking for a separate township user fee.
The walk in
No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up beach: both NPS lots sit directly on Lake Michigan Road at the river-mouth/lake confluence, with a short paved/sand walk to the shoreline. No trail or hike is needed to reach the swim area.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Shallow, sandy-bottomed river mouth is popular with kids for swimming/floating, but NPS explicitly warns of rip currents and wave action where the river meets the lake and advises parents to stay within arm's reach and use life jackets; no lifeguards are on duty anywhere in the Lakeshore.
Parking
Paid, $25 weekly Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore vehicle pass (automated fee station at the south lot); exact per-visit lot fee not separately published
Two NPS lots flank Lake Michigan Road (County Rd 708) at the river/lake confluence; south lot has accessible parking, restrooms, dressing rooms, grills, and the fee station, and fills during busy summer periods. Adjacent Lake Township Park charges a separate township user fee for additional parking.
Restrooms
Yes
Seasonal restrooms and accessible dressing rooms at the south parking lot; per NPS, water and restrooms 'may only be available between Memorial Day and Labor Day.'
Water clarity
Clear
Consistently described as clear across independent sources: NPS's own photo caption calls it 'clear, bright blue water'; grkids.com says the river is 'clear and the river bottom is primarily sandy'; Islands.com calls it 'crystal-clear' with an 'aqua-blue' look.
Hours
No gated hours; the beach/lots are accessible around the clock (per M-22 Byway, '24-hour operation'). Restrooms/running water are seasonal (Memorial Day-Labor Day); the automated entrance-fee station operates independently of any set hours.
On the water
Restrictions: Two separate access points: a paved boat launch at the end of Lake Michigan Road for trailered fishing boats onto Lake Michigan, and a soft/carry-in launch near the river mouth for kayaks, canoes, tubes, and rafts finishing a Platte River float. From mid-August through October, paddlers and tubers must portage around a fish weir installed for salmon migration.
The Platte River itself (upstream of the Point) is a popular carry-in tubing/paddling float of roughly 1 to 2.5+ hours depending on launch point, ending at this beach.
Rentals nearby
Tube, kayak (single and tandem), canoe, raft, and stand-up paddleboard rentals for floating the Platte River down to Platte Point Beach; also rents fishing boats and resells National Park passes
Prices: Tubing starts at $12 for 1 hour / $22 for 2 hours; pricing for kayaks/canoes/paddleboards/rafts is not published online (call to confirm)
5042 N Scenic Hwy (M-22), Honor, MI 49640, a few miles upstream of Platte Point Beach on the Platte River. Phone: 231-325-5622. · Open May 1 through mid-October; last tubing trips depart 3 hours before closing, with earlier closing hours in spring and after Labor Day
What regulars say
First-hand visitor accounts note that 'at the height of summer, when the river gets as full as a busy highway,' the float and beach get very crowded, so an early-day or shoulder-season visit is recommended for a quieter trip. Families who have done the trip advise life jackets for everyone, closed-bottom tubes for younger kids, and tethering older kids who want to swim alongside tubes rather than ride in them, and they flag that Riverside Canoes fills up fast in summer, so reservations are recommended.
Platte Beach: FAQ
Does Platte Beach charge a fee?
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore entrance fee applies (cited as a $25 weekly park pass by grkids.com); an automated fee station operates at the south lot. A separate user fee applies at the adjacent Lake Township Park.
Is Platte Beach kid friendly?
Shallow, sandy-bottomed river mouth is popular with kids for swimming/floating, but NPS explicitly warns of rip currents and wave action where the river meets the lake and advises parents to stay within arm's reach and use life jackets; no lifeguards are on duty anywhere in the Lakeshore.
Do I need to hike to reach Platte Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Platte Beach?
Two NPS lots flank Lake Michigan Road (County Rd 708) at the river/lake confluence; south lot has accessible parking, restrooms, dressing rooms, grills, and the fee station, and fills during busy summer periods. Adjacent Lake Township Park charges a separate township user fee for additional parking.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Platte Beach?
The Platte River itself (upstream of the Point) is a popular carry-in tubing/paddling float of roughly 1 to 2.5+ hours depending on launch point, ending at this beach.
When is the best time to visit Platte Beach?
Summer (July-August) is peak season for tubing and swimming; grkids.com recommends earlier in the day and week to avoid crowds, and notes early September brings a bonus salmon run visible to paddlers.
What are the rules at Platte Beach?
No pets permitted on this beach. Beach fires are allowed between the water's edge and the dune line using approved firewood, fully extinguished before leaving. Piping plover nesting can trigger seasonal closures of sections of shoreline; stay on designated trails to protect the threatened Pitcher's thistle. Lakeshore-wide, glass containers are prohibited and no lifeguards are on duty anywhere.
What water body is Platte Beach on?
Platte Beach is on Lake Michigan, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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